Light management system for a vehicle

• US 5,781,105 A
• Filed: 04/09/1997
• Issued: 07/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Cardanha, Timothy Lino, Glass, Kevin Michael, Bitar, Sami, Malecki, Marie Therese-Brodner, Samimy, Bahman, Russell, John David
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huang, Sihong
• Application Number:
  US08/831,589
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 340/468, 340/469, 340/438, 340/439, 340/435, 701/49, 701/1, 307/10.1, 307/10.8, 362/61
• US Class Current: 340/468
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/085 due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/143 combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/18 being additional front lights bracket mounted headlights B60Q1/0483
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/054 Variable non-standard intensity, i.e. emission of various beam intensities different from standard intensities, e.g. continuous or stepped transitions of intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/142 Turn signal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/32 Road surface or travel path
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/332 on city roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/333 on suburban or country roads

Abstract

A light management system for an automotive vehicle includes vehicle sensors that collectively represent a state of the vehicle and that provide a state of the vehicle signal, vehicle sensors that collectively represent a state of the environment and that provide a state of the environment signal, a microprocessor controller which receives both the state of the vehicle signal and the state of the environment signal, the microprocessor controller provides a modified beam pattern based on the state of the vehicle signal and the state of the environment signal and then manipulates the modified beam pattern based on the state of the vehicle signal and the state of the environment signal and then provides a final light distribution signal, and a forward lighting array for receiving the final light distribution signal and illuminating a roadway thereupon.

Claims

1. A light management system for an automotive vehicle, comprising:

vehicle sensing means for sensing at least one vehicle condition representing a state of the vehicle and providing a state of the vehicle signal therefor;

environmental sensing means for sensing at least one environmental condition representing a state of the environment and providing a state of the environment signal therefor;

a microprocessor controller for primary processing of said state of the vehicle signal and said state of the environment signal and for providing a modified beam pattern thereby, said microprocessor controller further for secondary processing of said state of the vehicle signal and said state of the environment signal and manipulating the modified beam pattern thereby and providing a light distribution signal for a final beam pattern therefrom; and

a forward lighting array for receiving the light distribution signal for a final beam pattern therefrom and illuminating a roadway thereupon.

2. A light management system according to claim 1, further including an output interface for receiving the light distribution signal from said microprocessor controller and communicating a pulse width modulated light distribution signal to said forward lighting array.

3. A light management system according to claim 1, further including an input interface for receiving the state of the vehicle signal and the state of the environment signal and communicating the state of the vehicle signal and the state of the environment signal to said microprocessor controller.

4. A light management system according to claim 1, wherein said forward lighting array is a multi-beam forward lighting array.

5. A light management system for an automotive vehicle, comprising:

vehicle sensing means for sensing a plurality of vehicle conditions collectively representing a state of the vehicle and providing a state of the vehicle signal therefor;

environmental sensing means for sensing a plurality of environmental conditions collectively representing a state of the environment and providing a state of the environment signal therefor;

a microprocessor controller for primary processing of said state of the vehicle signal and said state of the environment signal and for providing a modified beam pattern thereby, said microprocessor controller further for secondary processing of said state of the vehicle signal and said state of the environment signal and manipulating the modified beam pattern thereby and providing a light distribution signal for a final beam pattern therefrom;

an output interface for receiving said light distribution signal for a final beam pattern from said microprocessor controller and communicating a pulse width modulated light distribution signal therefrom; and

a multi-beam forward lighting array for receiving the pulse width modulated light distribution signal from said output interface and illuminating a roadway thereby.

6. A light management system according to claim 5, further including an input interface for receiving said state of the vehicle signal and said state of the environment signal and communicating said signals to said microprocessor controller.

7. A method for providing a forward light distribution for an automotive vehicle, comprising the steps of:

sensing at least one vehicle condition representing a state of the vehicle;

sensing at least one environmental condition representing a state of the environment;

establishing a modified beam pattern based upon the state of the vehicle and state of the environment;

manipulating the modified beam pattern based upon the state of the vehicle and the state of the environment to produce a final beam pattern;

providing a signal for a forward light distribution based upon the final beam pattern; and

illuminating a forward lighting array using pulse width modulation upon receiving the signal for a forward light distribution.

8. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein

said step of sensing at least one environmental condition representing a state of the environment is carried out with an auto lamp sensor;

and

if the auto lamp sensor signals a predetermined ambient light level, then;

activating said forward lighting array.

9. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein

said step of sensing at least one environmental condition representing a state of the environment is carried out with a windshield wiper signal;

and

if the windshield wiper signal is ON, then;

activating a plurality of base beams of said forward lighting array.

10. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein

said step of sensing at least one environmental signal representing a state of the environment is carried out with a high beam auto dim sensor;

and

if the high beam auto dim sensor detects traffic, then;

deactivating a plurality of high beams of said forward lighting array.

11. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein

said step of sensing at least one vehicle condition representing a state of the vehicle is carried out with a vehicle speed sensor;

and

if the vehicle speed sensor indicates slow, then;

activating a plurality of spread beams of said forward lighting array.

12. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein

said step of sensing at least one vehicle condition representing a state of the vehicle is carried out with a steering wheel angle sensor;

and

if the steering wheel angle sensor senses a left turn, then;

activating a left spread beam of said forward lighting array.

13. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein

said step of sensing at least one vehicle condition representing a state of the vehicle is carried out with a steering wheel angle sensor;

and

if the steering wheel angle sensor senses a right turn, then;

activating a right spread beam of said forward lighting array.

14. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein

said step of sensing at least one vehicle condition representing a state of the vehicle is carried out with a vehicle speed sensor;

and

if the vehicle speed sensor senses medium or high, then;

activating a plurality of mid beams of said forward lighting array.

15. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein

said step of sensing at least one vehicle condition representing a state of the vehicle is carried out with a vehicle speed sensor;

and

if the vehicle speed sensor senses high, then;

deactivating a plurality of spread beams of said forward lighting array.

16. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein

said step of sensing at least one vehicle condition representing a state of the vehicle is carried out with a left turn signal;

and

if the left turn signal is ON, then;

activating a left spread beam of said forward lighting array.

17. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein

said step of sensing at least one vehicle condition representing a state of the vehicle is carried out with a right turn signal;

and

if the right turn signal is ON, then;

activating a right spread beam of said forward lighting array.

18. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein

said step of sensing at least one environmental condition representing a state of the environment is carried out with a high beam auto dim sensor;

and

if high beam auto dim sensor senses a predetermined number of transitions in a predetermined time, then;

deactivating a plurality of high beams of said forward lighting array for a predetermined period of time, unless a high beam stick signal is in an ON position.

19. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein

said step of sensing at least one vehicle condition representing a state of the vehicle is carried out with a steering wheel angle sensor;

and

if the steering wheel angle sensor senses a predetermined number of turns exceeded within a predetermined period of time at slow speeds, then;

deactivating a plurality of high beams of said forward lighting array for a predetermined period of time, unless a high beam stick signal is in an ON position.

20. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein

said step of sensing at least one vehicle condition representing a state of the vehicle is carried out with a steering wheel angle sensor;

and

if the steering wheel angle sensor senses a predetermined number of turns exceeded within a predetermined period of time, then;

activating a plurality of spread beams of said forward lighting array for a predetermined period of time.